As a few people may well remember, the genius behind the marketing phenomenon, ‘Marlboro Man’ tricked us into believing that smoking was sexy, edgy and above all, a status of being cool. He’s the reason we see James Bond smoking cigarettes, the reason people took it up during the 60s and 70s and why it turned a nation smoke-crazy.
Now, almost sixty years later, smoking it is the leading cause in preventable fatal diseases, according to the American Health Association.
However, as of 2011, a quirky alternative began to climb up the ranks, and this is where vaping rears its fresh, innovative head. Now, it cannot go unsaid that vaping has had its fair share of criticism, with people claiming it’s no better than smoking, it looks weird, it’s not trustworthy and some have even claimed it is a gateway to smoking cigarettes. While these statements have been circulating for some time, I’ve decided it’s time to address some of these issues and stigmas.
This article was specifically written to answer an age-old question regarding vaping and arguably the most important question surrounding the topic: is vaping cool?
The Cool Factor
Before we can decide is vaping is truly ‘cool’ or not, we have to put it through its paces…
- How’s it Look?
Everyone nowadays can recognise an e-cigarette from a mile away. They’re these fancy colourful devices that range from looking like a quirky screwdriver (Kanger Subvod Mega TC) to a bullish matchbox with a nozzle on the end (Innokin MVP4 Kit)
The main difference that separates vaping from smoking cigarettes is the customisation factor. There is an endless amount you can customise, from the e-liquids you inhale, all the way through to the battery and atomisers. If it’s style and customisation you’re looking for, then vaping has it all, not to mention is insanely cheap in comparison to smoking!
- What’s it Feel Like?
Depending on your preference of strength, e-cigarettes can go from being quite a tame experience (with users opting for big flavour and less of a ‘hit’) to mimicking that of an actual cigarette. Again, how it ‘feels’ is entirely up to you. Sure, many people may argue that it doesn’t give exactly the same hit as a cigarette, but that’s sort of the point in most cases. It’s used as a more relaxed substitute for smoking, and even a device that will help you stop smoking altogether.
- What’s Changed in its Evolution?
Vaping has grown up since its introduction in the early 2000s. It wasn’t really noticed until very recently (2010-present) and this was mainly due to marketing and smoking’s metaphorical public flogging thanks to health organisations and marketing campaigns cutting cigarettes off their gravy train. Vaping now has a plethora of customisable options, meaning you can tailor your e-cigarette’s look to whatever pleases you. Plus, celebrities have been caught vaping, many of them being A-list, so that’s always a fantastic marketing ploy.
Strictly speaking of its evolution, though, not much has changed aside from its customisation and design, and even that’s a minimal difference. Simply put, its presence in contemporary society is arguably down to more people clamping down on smoking and looking for a healthier and cheaper way to get their hit. Plus, it’s still new and interesting!
- What Makes it ‘Cool’ if Anything?
Speaking philosophically, there’s nothing more appealing and exciting than to be a part of history, regardless of the scale. If we are to strip vaping down to its bare bones, it’s really nothing more than a fad, a hobby, an obsession but this is not a bad thing. Like smoking, vaping will surely have its time, and that may be another 10 years, or it may be another 100 years. People regularly forget that commercialised cigarettes have only been around for just over 150 years, and now that health organisations have clamped down on cigarettes, television has banned advertising and marketing campaigns, and shops cannot legally display them anymore, it may not have the impact of ‘cool’ it once had. Vaping, however, has more of a contemporary appeal, it looks younger, it feels fresh and it’s introduced a healthier way to kick back and relax.
- Is it Cool?
Drum roll…
Is vaping cool? Answer: … ish.
I hate to break it to you, but this isn’t a question easily answered, as the matter of ‘cool’ has and will always be subjective. I could say that I think The Beatles are cool, but someone else might say they find them numbingly dull and profoundly outdated, that’s just the way opinions work.
So, if you’re confident in rocking the vape hype, then yes, it’s cool! At the end of the day, it’s about confidence, and being nonchalant. If you’re running around blowing vape clouds into people’s faces in bars and clubs, then you’re not really nailing the ‘cool mysterious guy at the bar look’, and the same goes for women.
Be humble and be confident. If you’re not convinced by this ‘answer’ and you want more solid evidence of why it might be deemed cool, then just look at all the celebrities that vape (the majority of which I’d argue, are definitely cool).
If you’re still on the fence regarding taking up vaping, why not have a quick browse through what we’ve got to offer? Seriously, you’re here, you might as well, plus we’ve got a new range on the NextGen Kits!
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